Some actors will do anything for their art. In the case of the smash hit Broadway musical ‘Wicked,’ that means being painted green.

Onstage, actress Vicki Noon casts a spell on the audience as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s not just fancy stage lighting giving her a unique hue–she’s actually painted green!

Makeup supervisor Joyce McGilberry talks to us as she applies the paint. She explains, “I want to get the green on as quickly as possible, so I’m using a sea sponge to apply it on her hands.”

The makeup magic happens backstage, about an hour before the show. The process requires Joyce to re-apply paint and powder several times. It’s not as easy as it looks. Vicki jokes about the time she tried to do it herself, “You know, the first time I ever tried to do it by myself, for fun, it turned out horrible!!”

For the Seattle native, the chance to be a lead in ‘Wicked’ is like a real-life fairy-tale. “I feel really lucky, I’m extremely grateful to be given this opportunity,” Vicki says.

The 25-year-old admits she misses home though, and it helps to have a confidante. She says, “Sometimes I’ll talk to Joyce about that, how I’m missing home, feeling homesick.”

The final touches include eye makeup, hair, and costuming. Then the wicked witch comes to life! “It doesn’t get old… I get to go out and have fun with my friends for 3 hours, so it’s pretty cool,” Vicki exclaims.

‘Wicked’ runs through August 8 at the Marcus Center For The Performing Arts. You can still get tickets, but you better buy them soon. Click here to Buy Wicked Milwaukee WI Tickets. Buy now and save $20 on your next order over $250.

{Via Today’s TMJ4}

The Madame Alexander Doll Company has announced the upcoming release of two new dolls in its Wicked collection, based on the hit Broadway musical. One is a Citizen of Oz doll; the other is a Citizen of the Emerald City.

Both dolls can be pre-ordered at www.madamealexander.com. The Citizen of Oz is expected to ship in October, while the Citizen of the Emerald City is expected to ship in November. Each doll is ten inches tall and costs $124.95. The dolls are recommended for ages fourteen and up.

Madame Alexander’s Wicked collection also includes Town Crier, First Day at Shiz Elphaba, First Day at Shiz Glinda, and Elphaba. In addition, Madame Alexander has produced a ‘The Wizard of Oz’ collection which includes various characters from the story that inspired Wicked.

Winner of 26 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Declared “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly and “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety, Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Wicked is performed at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Also currently playing on Tour in Milwaukee, WI and Columbus, OH. Buy Wicked The Musical Tickets Online.

{Via Broadwayworld.com}